MSG PDF

Your MSG Early!
This year the planning team has decided to forward through an electronic
copy of the MeetUp Survival Guide to help you prepare for AvatarMeet.
It is packed with information about the event as well as how to get
around and places to visit in your free time.

There is no need to print your own copy though as you will be able to
collect one at the Welcome Event. To download your early copy of the
MSG, simply CLICK HERE.

Giving Back: Volunteering

The central message of Avatar is one of environmental responsibility and
empathy for other living things. We were all touched by this movie, and
many of us were awakened to the severity of the problems facing the
health of our planet –our Eywa –and how they will impact the future of
the organisms that live here, including ourselves.

We can help make a difference, and through the meetups we can join
forces to help make every part of the world we visit a little better
for the plants and animals that live there.

We have arranged a volunteering session with Madrona wetlands, a nature
preserve located right in the midst of Los Angeles. On Saturday at 1 PM,
we will all head down to Madrona and help improve the habitat there by
removing invasive species and replanting them with natives; this will
help by giving the animals that live in this island of a once-common
ecosystem in the area new places to forage, take shelter, and raise
their young.

Madrona will provide us with the tools and other necessities, and will
be offering refreshments as thanks for providing our assistance. We will
be bringing lunch with us from the hotel; we will eat lunch in their
picnic area and then roll up our sleeves and get to work. If anyone with
physical limitations finds the tasks too difficult, other options can
be furnished. Our session will last from 1 to 4 PM, and after that we
will return to the hotel for our last night before we all have to
depart. We hope everyone is excited for this opportunity to have some
fun while helping to repair the damage that others have dealt to our
planet’s biosphere.

AvatarMeet 2014 is here!

Hard to believe it's that time again! Clan members are already starting their journeys towards LA in the next couple of days!

The main event starts with the Welcome Ceremony on Wednesday the 9th
(details below), though many are gathering before for either the camping
trip or just to explore LA. We have a lot of great stuff planned, and
the complete schedule is now published on the 2014 Event Calendar at AvatarMeet.com. It's also all in the MSG which, by popular demand, is now available for download (see below).

As the meetup nears, now is the time to check the website, read the MSG,
update your profile with any last minute information, find a tsmuk to
share a ride with if necessary, and - most importantly - get excited for
what is sure to be the most amazing AvatarMeet to date!

As always, please ask if you have any questions. As the planning team
travels, the best place to ask is on the forums where we can respond
quickest.

See you all in LA soon!

Welcome Event

Welcome to the welcome event!
This year AvatarMeet will see a lot of new faces from the Avatar family
arriving for this years AvatarMeet. Combined with so many exciting
things happening we will be holding an informal welcome event on the
Wednesday evening at the hotel. This will be held in the
Brentwood/Westwood meeting room from 6 PM onwards.

There will be no formal meal, but light refreshments and snacks will be provided.

We will be collecting paper signed NDAs from everyone for the Lightstorm
visit, so please bring the original document that you signed & sent
in earlier.

At about 7 PM, the planning team will give a brief over view of the meet up, in particular the visit to Lightstorm. This briefing is mandatory for everyone visiting Lightstorm. There will be an opportunity for any questions you have to be answered.

Final Checks

Make sure you have everything covered: As we all
prepare for our journeys long and short to AvatarMeet, take a moment to
make sure you have everything covered. If you are traveling
internationally, make sure you have all you travel documents in order,
such as your ESTA Visa Waiver forms. If you are in the US remember to
bring some government ID with you as this will be required for our visit
to Lightstorm.

Don't forget to bring your signed NDA paper copy also, we'll be collecting those at the welcome event.

Camping

The camping trip is right around the corner...are you ready?
With the camping trip being so close, there are a few reminders that
we'd like to give to everyone. Temperatures fluctuate greatly where we
will be camping so come prepared for any type of weather (yes a rain
poncho is a good idea). We will be providing all meals, however you will
be responsible for bringing your own snacks.

The national park entrance fee is $20 per vehicle and the camping fee
(for meals and reservations) is $45 each person, which can be paid
on-site on Sunday.

Other important things you might want to consider bringing would
include: lighting at night (flashlight, headlamp... ect), sunscreen,
water bottles, sleeping gear (don't forget that pillow!), backpack...
ect. FRS 2-way radios are also popular in camp. If you have any
questions feel free to post in the camping threads or email
Aketuan@avatarmeet.com

Lightstorm's studios a green facility

Do you know how green Lightstorm is?

As we all know, whilst Avatar means many things to each and every one of
us, one of the strongest relates to our relationship with the earth
that supports us. It was a call to open our eyes to how we live and to
minimize our impact on the world around us.

As you would expect Lightstorm would need to set an example and follow
through on Avatar's message, and they have with their new studio
facility. This article will provides some good reading prior to our visit there.